Wynton Marsalis official web site

Yesterday night, three high school jazz bands took top honors in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 12th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival.
Each band was chosen by a panel of judges composed of distinguished jazz musicians and historians - chosen by a panel of judges composed of distinguished jazz musicians and historians: Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director; Music Director, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, David Baker; composer, conductor, and Ellington authority David Berger; and author, composer, and conductor Gunther Sshuller - from among the 15 finalist bands from the U.S. and Canada that came to the Competition & Festival on May 4, 5, & 6, 2007.

Essentially Ellington culminated in yesterday night concert at Avery Fisher Hall (download high-res photos), where the top placing bands performed with Wynton as a soloist followed by an all Ellington concert performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra - all of whom serve as mentors for each of the finalist bands during this weekend festival.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) Ellington compositions performed yesterday night will be distributed by Jazz at Lincoln Center for the 2007-2008 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Program. At the awards ceremony, Wynton, presented prizes to each of the 15 finalist bands.

Scott Brown, director of the Roosevelt High School Jazz Band, accepted the 1st place trophy and award of $1,000. John Mosley, director of the Agoura High School Studio Jazz Band accepted the 2nd place trophy and award of $750. Stephen Massey, director of the Foxboro High School Jazz Band, accepted the 3rd place trophy and award of $500. King Philip Regional High School Jazz Band was named honorable mention band and was awarded $350. The remaining 10 bands were awarded certificates of merit and awards of $250 each. All monetary awards go toward improving schools’ jazz programs. Awards for outstanding soloists and sections were also presented (see listing below).
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 12th Annual Essentially Ellington

High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival 2007 AWARDS

FIRST PLACE:
Roosevelt High School

SECOND PLACE:
Agoura High School Studio Jazz Band

THIRD PLACE:
Foxboro High School

HONORABLE MENTION BAND
King Philip Regional High School

OUTSTANDING SOLOISTS:

On Clarinet, Tenor and Flute
Agoura High School Studio Jazz – Daniel Jenklow

On Clarinet
Edmonds-Woodway High School – Hannah Jones
Foxboro High School – Solveig Olsen
Garfield High School – Carl Majeau
River East Collegiate – Samantha Chrol

On Alto Saxophone
Carroll Senior High School – Devin Eddleman
Garfield High School - John Cheadle
Grandview High School – Mario Bennett
Greenwich High School – Ken Kaneko
Roosevelt High School – Logan Strosahl

On Tenor Saxophone
Agoura High School Jazz A – Christian Choh
Carroll Senior High School – Brian Clancy
Garfield High School – Joel Gombiner
Garfield High School – Devin Mooers

On Baritone Saxophone
Carroll Senior High School – Chris
King Philip Regional High School – Matt Kowalski
Williamsville East High School – Dominico Missana

On Trumpet
King Philip Regional High School – J.D. Chaisson
Williamsville East High School – Griffith Kazmierczak

On Trombone
King Philip Regional High School – Chris Palmer

On Valve Trombone
Honeoye Falls-Lima High School – Carter Middleton

On Tuba
Honeoye Falls-Lima High School – Willie Middleton

On Piano
Agoura High School Studio Jazz – Jake Higgins
Edmonds-Woodway High School – Devon Yesberger
Foxboro High School – Molly Kackloudis
Garfield High School - Benjamin Hamaji
Rio Americano High School – Dinos San Pedro
Rio Americano High School – John Rothfels
Roosevelt High School – Scotty Bemis

On Bass
Agoura High School Studio Jazz – Eric Lamm
Foxboro High School – Daniel Kasang
River East Collegiate – Graham Isaak
Williamsville East High School – Danny Ziemann

On Banjo
Roosevelt High School – Reed Ferris

OUTSTANDING SECTIONS

Reeds
Carroll Senior High School
Roosevelt High School

Brass
King Philip Regional High School

Trombones
Foxboro High School
Mead High School
Roosevelt High School

Trumpets
Roosevelt High School

Rhythm Section
Agoura High School Studio Jazz
Foxboro High School
Roosevelt High School

In addition, Jazz at Lincoln Center recognized the winner in the sixth Essentially Ellington Essay Contest. The contest invited students from all participating high schools to submit an essay describing a personal experience with Jazz. Jazz at Lincoln Center received 71 essays from which esteemed historian, author, editor, archivist, and Director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University Dan Morgenstern chose the winners.

As the 1st place winner for the winning essay entitled “Taking the ‘A’ Train,” by Alex Dugdale, (Roosevelt High School, Seattle, WA) was invited to name a seat in Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, and read his essay at the opening of the festival on Friday, May 4, 2007.